Key retainer

Abstract

A key retainer, primarily having the facility for manually manipulating a key from a stored, inoperative position to a partially stored operation position, is disclosed. The key retainer includes a top planar semi-flexible member and bottom planar semi-flexible member, both of which are joined to one another generally, along their perimeters and vertical center lines, to form two adjacent key storing facilities. Each key storing facility is provided with a key receiving slot for inserting a key within the key storing facility, and a finger-manipulating aperture for manually transferring the key from a stored position to a partially stored operative position through an opening provided in the joining means. A major advantage of the key retaining arrangement, is the absence of key connecting devices usually associated with key retainers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A key retainer, particularly having the facility for manually manipulating keys for stored inoperative positions to partially stored operative positions, comprising: a first planar member having a first edge and a second edge, said second edge opposing and parallel to said first edge;   a second planar member opposing said first planar ember and having substantially identical size and configuration to that of said first planar member;   joining means, at least along said first and second edges, for joining said first planar member to said second planar member;   key storing means, defined between said first and second planar members and between said first and second edges, for retaining a key positioned therein;   a key receiving slot, integral with said first planar member and positioned parallel and proximate to said first edge, for inserting said key into said key storing means;   an opening, located in one of said first or second edges and defined between said first planar member and said second planar member, for receiving the working end of said key therethrough, said opening being in a direct longitudinal path with said key receiving slot; and   a finger-manipulating aperture, integral with said first planar member and positioned between said key receiving slot and said opening, for allowing a user to manually manipulate said key retained in said key storing means to a position of operation through said opening.   
     
     
       2. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second planar members consist of semiflexible material. 
     
     
       3. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said finger-manipulating aperture is of an ice cream cone-like configuration having an upper curved portion and a lower truncated portion. 
     
     
       4. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said finger-manipulating aperture has a width no greater than the diameter of a conventional key head. 
     
     
       5. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said opening has a length no greater than the width of the working end of a conventional key. 
     
     
       6. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, further including at least three key storing facilities, wherein at least two of said key storing facilities are spaced apart from one another and said third key storing facility being positioned between said first two key storing facilities. 
     
     
       7. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said joining means comprises sewn-in stitching. 
     
     
       8. A key retainer in accordance with claim 6, wherein said three key storing facilities are of a three-fold arrangement. 
     
     
       9. A key retainer in accordance with claim 2, wherein said semi-flexible material comprises leather. 
     
     
       10. A key retainer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said key receiving slot has a length no longer than the width of said key storing means.